Boks lament breakdown burglary
9 Oct 2011
The Springboks have suggested that referee Bryce Lawrence’s failure to punish Australia’s infringement at the breakdown cost them heavily.
The defending champions conceded 10 breakdown turnovers, with Wallabies openside flank David Pocock being the chief destroyer of their attacking momentum.
Referee Bryce Lawrence came into the Test having awarded among the lowest number of ruck penalties on average in the tournament, and that trend continued as he allowed a greater contest than has been the norm. The Springboks undoubtedly suffered as a result, but they must look at their inability to protect the ball in contact and on the deck as the primary cause for their struggles (they also committed 10 handling errors).
Still, captain John Smit intimated that they were hard done by at the breakdown. ‘It [the Wallabies' perceived infringement at the breakdown] was the only talking point between he and I,’ Smit said of his on-field interaction with Lawrence. ‘The message clearly wasn’t going through.’
Asked about Pocock’s influence, Smit said: ‘I guess he was brilliant at capitalising on the way the breakdown was being interpreted. When you are brave and keep the ball, normally you are rewarded. That wasn’t the case tonight.’
Head coach Peter de Villiers echoed Smit’s sentiments. ‘Tactically we played correctly but the breakdown was a mess,’ he said. ‘In a quarter-final you have to take your chances and we didn’t take ours. Well done to them. They had a few [opportunities] and they took them. For the rest of the time we were in control. A couple of calls never went our way, but now isn’t the time to talk about the ref.’
However, Australia coach Robbie Deans, whose side has been heavily penalised by Lawrence in the tournament to date, countered that criticism. ‘We didn’t see it as that. Maybe both sides were hard done by, then. The breakdown was hotly contested, and maybe things evened themselves out,’ he said in a veiled reference to their struggles with the New Zealand official.
Asked to assess Pocock’s performance, Deans was emphatic in his response. ‘Immense. Remarkable. It was bigger than he got credit for. It was probably the most dominant performance [by an openside flank] in the tournament.’
Deans described this showing as the ‘coming of age’ of his youthful group, and added: ‘Tonight the most experienced side in the tournament turned the screws on the youngest. I don’t need to equip these boys with the skills to cope with pressure going forward. They showed that they have that capacity tonight.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Wellington.
164 Comments
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9 Oct 2011, 11:26 am
Deans, you got away with murder and you know it.
just take a look at pictures of your own facial expressions during the game to remind yourself of how deep in the **** you were i and how lucky you got.
9 Oct 2011, 11:28 am
” ‘We didn’t see it as that. Maybe both sides were hard done by, then”…..
rubbish
the team that was most hard done by was the one with all the frikken ball and territory.
9 Oct 2011, 11:29 am
These decrepit players are just like their cry-baby fans.
All you ever get is blaming someone else. It is never them. Exactly how they behaved during their Apartheid years – it is never them. White is night annd white is right.
9 Oct 2011, 11:31 am
Totally. Pocock can’t steal the ball legally. You can’t put your hands in a ruck when it is formed and drag the ball back. Happened time after time. Anzac connection strikes again.
@ET.(ET.)-3:
I could easily find you in real life.
9 Oct 2011, 11:31 am
All Blacks have Wayne Barnes. We have Bryce Lawrence.
9 Oct 2011, 11:33 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-1: In rugby you play what’s in front of you and that includes the ref – defence wins matches. Honestly, your boys were awesome but lost and now don’t deserve to be tainted by fans whining about refs etc. Its rugby and it happens. How many teams have been done over in the Republic by “questionable” controls?
9 Oct 2011, 11:33 am
Moan, moan, groan, groan, cry, cry and cry some more.
So its crying time again, you’re always losing
I can see that faraway look in your eyes
I can tell it by the way you’re always moaning
That it won’t be long before it’s crying time.
Belt it out to them Ray Charles.
9 Oct 2011, 11:34 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-4: You can put your hands anywhere you like if you’re on your feet and onside.
9 Oct 2011, 11:36 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-4:
Can you steal anything legally even if you were so used to it during apartheid?
Why are you even looking I am right here. Can you even handle your lost game or your soul/sole?
9 Oct 2011, 11:45 am
Referee allowed both sides to infringe – as he always does. Plenty of calls weren’t made against us that could have been made too. In the end, when your team makes 50 tackles and the other team makes 150, there is no reason your team shouldn’t win unless the opposition defence is unbelievable….well guess what – it was.
Stop whining Kobus – you have been on every post making us look like losers. Bryce fucked the aussies in 2 matches already – at least this time he was evenly ****. We lost because we couldn’t score against their defence. I mean look at the game, by the 65th minute the aussies were too tired to even compete at the rucks. Morne missed a couple of shots and that was the game, it happens.
9 Oct 2011, 11:50 am
From The Telegraph’s website:
Rugby World Cup 2011: Bryce Lawrence reduced breakdown to a farce in Australia’s win over South Africa
Paddy O’Brien, the IRB’s head of refs, told me before the start of the tournament that no World Cup had ever been decided by the man in the middle.
By Mark Reason, in Wellington9:07AM BST 09 Oct 2011
It is a highly debatable claim and certainly the refs went out of their way to try to get Australia over the line in 2003. But you would not rule out this Rugby World Cup being decided on a shonky decision.
Mr Bryce Lawrence, the son of an official, is rated rather highly by those in charge of the whistle blowers. But a lot of players and fans have absolutely no idea why. He made a complete hash of today’s game between Australia and South Africa and the Springboks will be furious.
They identified the breakdown as a crucial area of the match beforehand, but they did expect there to be some sort of reffing.
The South Africans thought that the tackler would have to release the ball carrier. They thought that the offside line would be respected. They thought that men would have to stay on the feet. Instead it was a complete shambles.
The trouble is that Lawrence has form at this sort of thing. He was given the final of Super Rugby for apparently being the best ref in the tournament.
Some of us thought that the South African refs were in an altogether different class. They would also have had the advantage of being neutral as the final was between an Aussie and a Kiwi side. But no, Mr Lawrence got the nod.
And despite all the fantastic players on the pitch, the match became a farce because Lawrence had absolutely no control over the breakdown. Players were diving in on all sides. It became a free-for-all.
What could have been a great game of rugby turned into a mess, because Lawrence did not rule the breakdown.
So should we be surprised at today’s snore. More often than not dull matches are greatly contributed to by the refs inability to be accurate at the contact area. Yes, South Africa are nothing like as efficient there without the great Juan Smith to clean out.
But unless the IRB’s refs get a grip we are going to have some really dull semi-finals. Hopefully the guys who can really get a grip at the breakdown – the South Africans and the Northern Hemisphere refs – will be put in charge of the final four matches.
If we let a Kiwi near the games, then it will be more mayhem. South Africa will feel cheated. And they have every right to complain.
The Aussies have already made one New Zealand ref – Steve Walsh – one of their own. Lawrence could well be next in line for honorary citizenship.
9 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
What I lament is our lack of rugby brains.
Coach: once Heinrich went off and we saw how the ref was policing the breakdown Snor should have immediately brought on Biz for Plod.
Captain: Smit has been a good leader in many ways but he’s never shown any flexibiliy in the way he and his eam respond to conditions during the game.
Players: didn’t protect our ball enough as the game was reffed. Hard to judge whether we attacked their ball enough cos they so rarely had it.
Oh and we didn’t take our chances – Morne missed penalty, Laaambie missed drop, JdV missed simple pass to Laaambie to score. Any of those and Snor would still have a job.
9 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
Here we go again, blame the ref time! Never mind the untaken penalty kicks, or the worlds best hooker sitting on the bench, no it’s all the refs fault.
9 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-8:
but not after the ruck has formed
9 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
Ryan, how about watching the game again, objectively, and assessing how much impact the ref had. Give some statistics on the breakdown. I watched through partisan eyes and thought that Pocock got away with absolute murder primarily because he was either lying on the ground or unsupported most of the time. Whether we were doing the same less successfully, I don’t know. I have too much pain to watch it again!
One thing is for certain, Pocock definately deserved MOTM illegally or not. He was a thorn in our flesh that Bissy should have dealt with from the go.
9 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
@ET.(ET.)-3:
Doos!
9 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-14: Of course you can – just bash through the middle, stay on your feet and pick up the ball. It’s called a turnover and that’s legal.
9 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
@whatever(whatever)-16:
That D tag has long since belonged solely to you. You own it and use it like no other, becauuse you are so limited upstairs.
9 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm
the ref cost us the game. he should be killed immediately. it was nonsense.
kill bryce right now. kill him.
9 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
@BlueBlood(BlueBlood)-19:
you think a few death threats are in order? 
9 Oct 2011, 12:10 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-14: Otherwise, according to you, there’d be no such thing as a turnover from ruck ball. The rules are fairly plain to read.
9 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@BlueBlood(BlueBlood)-19: you sound like a gracious kind of chap. Not one to go over the top either are we?
9 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
as a diehard wallaby fan, im the first to admit the boks were the better team on the night. they didn’t lose becuase of the referee though. they lost due to brussow getting injured, leaving the best hooker on the pine for 55 minutes, not taking kicks when avaliable.
either team could have won, it was a kick here or there between them. i feel sorry for the boks as its harder to swallow when you were the dominant team, but sometimes thats rugby. i really didnt think bryce had that much influence on the game. i know i was yelling at him a lot all game so it wasnt all one way traffic.
Anwyway you have got rid of coach clown now and will be better for it. looking forward to seeing some of the new players blooded in the boks team over the next few years.
Me thinks the Cheetah’s have got a few future boks in their ranks.
9 Oct 2011, 12:13 pm
Pocock was brilliant. He played according the way the reffed. Why didn’t we play the same way?
9 Oct 2011, 12:14 pm
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-22: stop trolling the saffa’s mate. you’re a farking embarrassment
9 Oct 2011, 12:14 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-23: Mate – all well and good but defence wins games are we were immense. Added to the fact Boks took a number of wrong options and were a little loose with their ball security when it mattered. One silly penalty and, bang, game over.
9 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-23:
Well done mate. I think the AB’s are there for the pickings. Play with passion and you could just take this one again. Good Luck
9 Oct 2011, 12:16 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-11:
“. Players were diving in on all sides. It became a free-for-all.”
So both teams were cheating. Thats what i saw as well
9 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-25: What are you talking about? Did you actually read the post I was responding to? I’ve been on this site for some time and congratulated and commiserated the boys and all the rest of it. Just a few twits that go over the top and I’m the embarrassment? Buddy you’re weird.
9 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-24:
That is the point.
It is such a waste of time and energy to whinge like some are doing now and it wont change anything.
9 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-25:
Ummm, If you read what he was replying to,it was about killing the ref.
9 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-22: in the build up to the RWC all we heard was how strict the refs will be at the breakdown, maul, ruck etc.
Thats all we heard. Thats all we heard. How there must be daylight, no hands in the ruck etc etc.
The ref cost us that game. Yes, you will get the usual bleating about how you must be gracious losers, how you must take it on the chin, how both teams play with the same ref.
Nonsense. Bryce gifted this game to the Aussies. Fullstop.
9 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-30:
Exactly. Let’s give the Ozzies some credit. Winning with only 26% ball. That takes some beating. I’m disappointed, but sh it happens. One thing I can’t stand is whining…
9 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-31: Think he was playing at the deaththreats Wayne Barnes recieved the previous WC.
9 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-23:
Congrates WE are Red.
True, SA should have won.
But they didn’t.
And that was because of ONE THING, and One Thing only.
Heart. ( a belief that if you give 115% anything is possible).
I hope the Saffas go out in their 1000′s to welcome home their Team. They were tremendous as well.
More than tremendous.
Every man did his job. Each and everyone played with conviction and passion.
9 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-31: Thanks bud – thought I was on the right side of that one.
9 Oct 2011, 12:23 pm
@BlueBlood(BlueBlood)-32: Or maybe not…
9 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-34:
lol
Hey we threatened to kill him the next day. Blueblood doing it a bit to early
9 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-25:
If the result was the opposite we would have gloaters.
You choose………………………..
Gloaters or Trolls.
8)
9 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
@BlueBlood(BlueBlood)-32: I do take your point, but my point is – and its been made over and over again elsewhere – you play what’s in front of you and that includes how the ref is applying the rules. I get the fact you guys are gutted – and you should be. Your team played a fantastic game and kept bashing away to the very last second. And we’ve been done over before a number of times so I do know how it feels. But have a look at how the Bok team handled themselves after. Despite everything they may have felt not one complained or said a word. Class.
9 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-33:
They are showing on tv at the moment calls that went against the boks
Very one-sided as they do not show calls that went agaisnt the Aussies.
And the e mailers who are responding are are getting so hyped up- calling Bryce a “sheep farmer, idiot, cheat etc…
It’s quite embarrassing to watch.
9 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-38:
Hey……………………………….at least none of us on Keo threatened to kill Barnsey. ( I think).
And hey again…………………………………….Piri the King of Wainuiomata. ( Till he goes to Auckland).
8)
9 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
copy and paste from the Telegraph
Rugby World Cup 2011: Bryce Lawrence reduced breakdown to a farce in Australia’s win over South Africa
Paddy O’Brien, the IRB’s head of refs, told me before the start of the tournament that no World Cup had ever been decided by the man in the middle.
The great escape: Australia celebrate their narrow win over South Africa Photo: AFP
By Mark Reason, in Wellington
9:07AM BST 09 Oct 2011
29 Comments
It is a highly debatable claim and certainly the refs went out of their way to try to get Australia over the line in 2003. But you would not rule out this Rugby World Cup being decided on a shonky decision.
Mr Bryce Lawrence, the son of an official, is rated rather highly by those in charge of the whistle blowers. But a lot of players and fans have absolutely no idea why. He made a complete hash of today’s game between Australia and South Africa and the Springboks will be furious.
They identified the breakdown as a crucial area of the match beforehand, but they did expect there to be some sort of reffing.
The South Africans thought that the tackler would have to release the ball carrier. They thought that the offside line would be respected. They thought that men would have to stay on the feet. Instead it was a complete shambles.
The trouble is that Lawrence has form at this sort of thing. He was given the final of Super Rugby for apparently being the best ref in the tournament.
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Some of us thought that the South African refs were in an altogether different class. They would also have had the advantage of being neutral as the final was between an Aussie and a Kiwi side. But no, Mr Lawrence got the nod.
And despite all the fantastic players on the pitch, the match became a farce because Lawrence had absolutely no control over the breakdown. Players were diving in on all sides. It became a free-for-all.
What could have been a great game of rugby turned into a mess, because Lawrence did not rule the breakdown.
So should we be surprised at today’s snore. More often than not dull matches are greatly contributed to by the refs inability to be accurate at the contact area. Yes, South Africa are nothing like as efficient there without the great Juan Smith to clean out.
But unless the IRB’s refs get a grip we are going to have some really dull semi-finals. Hopefully the guys who can really get a grip at the breakdown – the South Africans and the Northern Hemisphere refs – will be put in charge of the final four matches.
If we let a Kiwi near the games, then it will be more mayhem. South Africa will feel cheated. And they have every right to complain.
The Aussies have already made one New Zealand ref – Steve Walsh – one of their own. Lawrence could well be next in line for honorary citizenship
9 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-41:
I’m watching mate! Listening to Bob now. Saying we don’t want to be whingers. Well I’m embarrassed with all the whinging going on. We have won some that could have gone the other way. I’m proud to be South African but want to be known as a true supporter who celebrates a win but congratulates the opposition come rain or high water. We lost – lets get over it. We are going to get a new coach and a new team. Let’s look to the future.
Go Province…
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
Bryce Lawence will get a Semi.
That’s how good he was.
8)
As will the friggen Welshman Nigel.
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
Bryce Lawrence was brilliant today. A real stalwart of the game. He was by far Australia’s best player. I am still in shock…cannot believe what happened here…feel like I’m walking away from a Heavyweight boxing fight…you know the feeling…watchin one guy pulverise the other, just doesn’t knock him out and the decision goes the way of the favourite…the money guy…in this case the Wallabies. How can the players be proud of that “win”? I feel dirty…like I’ve been molested….so having said that what a crappy way to see the end of the career of so many great SA Champions!!!! All because of a referee, petrified that by allowing the Bokke to win, he would see the elimination of his country in the ensuing Semi.
Tonight the IRB made Rugby Union ‘The Game played in Las Vegas’.
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
Hey Ryan – why don’t you give YOUR stupid and unintellectual opinion here too ? … Watch the game again … WE WERE CHEATED !!! Dunno what you were watching but I’m still amazed that you are given the opportunity to write on this blog … About 90 % of all bloggers make more sense than you? Hopefully – we will be rid of you and your useless articles soon
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-23: spot on, not starting with the worlds best hooker was a crime against rugby.
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-40: I’m not blaming Bryce but will say that this game was totally different to how he reffed all his other games in this tournament. I would wager he averages about 15-20 penalties a game. Would you agree? And if that is true, the lack of penalties stands out like a sore thumb. I would realy like to know why the discrepancy in this game but never will, so yeah…
9 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
*Bryce Lawrence was brilliant today. A real stalwart of the game. He was by far Australia’s best player. I am still in shock…cannot believe what happened here…feel like I’m walking away from a Heavyweight boxing fight…you know the feeling…watchin one guy pulverise the other, just doesn’t knock him out and the decision goes the way of the favourite…the money guy…in this case the Wallabies. How can the players be proud of that “win”? I feel dirty…like I’ve been molested….so having said that what a crappy way to see the end of the career of so many great SA Champions!!!! All because of a referee, petrified that by allowing the Bokke to win, he would see the elimination of his country in the ensuing Semi.
Tonight the IRB made Rugby Union ‘The Game played in Las Vegas’. *
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